"It's not a big deal. They just want resumes from all the freelancers," Schatz, an ESPN contributor and editor-in-chief of FootballOutsiders.com, told me in an email. "Totally understandable."

Schatz isn't the only one who's had to produce papers. We've heard about other contributors who have been asked to get on Skype or video chat, or to send in an updated resume.

How'd this get started? A few weeks ago, ESPN.com senior managers—not to be confused with "ESPN.com managing director" Nilesh Prasad—told editors to ask their writers for resumes and to establish some kind of face-to-face contact before making any new hires. Sensible enough.

An ESPN spokesman said that there have been no "specific policy changes" since the Phillips saga, and it's really up to individual editors if they want contributors to refresh a nine-year-old resume.

"Some [editors] may have individually taken the opportunity to take some added steps as part of the process," said an ESPN spokesman. He added: "As you would expect, we took the opportunity to remind people the importance of continuing to be diligent when hiring contributors with an added emphasis on face-to-face contact," the spokesman said.

And what of ESPN senior Jonas Brothers correspondent Lynn Hoppes, the Page 2 editor who brought Phillips aboard in the first place? He's still around. Earlier today, he wished Warren Beatty a happy birthday.

Update 5:05 p.m.: Turns out Hoppes screwed up both Beatty's birthday (March 30, not May 30) and his age (75, not 77). H/T Erik.